In its response to the Public Account Committee's report, which came outin July, the DCSF acknowledged that targets set for the first two phasesof children's centres were 'challenging' and that 'some localauthorities are taking longer to build up their capacity todeliver'.
It added, 'All 136 local authorities had hit the first target to put inplace children's centres in very disadvantaged areas to reach 650,000children under five, and most local authorities are now well on the wayto delivering on the second, to establish 2,500 children's centresreaching nearly two million children by 2008.'
Guidance to help local authorities plan and deliver phase three centresby 2010 is to be issued shortly.
The DCSF said, 'This will contain clear advice on the level of resourceneeded to provide services in a "high focus, high need" centre serving adisadvantaged community as distinct from the level of resource likely tobe needed in a "universal" centre.'
Answering the committee's concerns that disadvantaged families couldlose out in the rapid roll-out of centres, the DCSF stressed that 'themost disadvantaged children must continue to be the priority' andreceive the most resource.
Extra money from 2008-09 had been given to local authorities to fund twooutreach workers in children's centres working with the mostdisadvantaged families, the report said.
FURTHER INFORMATION - Thirty eighth report, DCSF, Sure Start Children'sCentres, www.official-documents.gov.uk.